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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · spring · perch · drill · fine · suit · rest · present

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. fine — all right
  3. rest — a break
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. present — there
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spring — a coil
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. spring — the season
  16. present — a gift
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. suit — to fit
  19. drill — army training
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rest — what's left
  24. present — the time now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com